For clarification:
Human Remains are carried as Cargo, they should be treated with the utmost respect at all times (I cannot talk for colleagues on the Ramp or at outstations).
If a HUM is manifested for travel as cargo then the following rules should be applied (this is certainly how we delat with them at LGW):
1. The HUM is wheeled out of the morgue on a trolley and taken to the build beds (Cargo ULD on a rollerbed system)
2. The HUM is gently lifted at both ends and carefully put onto the blades of a forklift truck
3. The HUM is then gently lowered onto the ULD and strapped into place.
4. The pallet is then netted and covered in black plastic. the build card on the ULD is annotated with HUM to show the Ramp crew and anyone else who cares to look that Human Remains are on that ULD.
HUM in my experience never went as "Bulk" Cargo, they are not put near ANY live animals (AVI) and any hazardous (HAZ) cargo that is manifested for that service should be built on a separate ULD, if this is not possible and has to go on the smae ULD as the HUM then it should be as far from the HUM as possible.
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A civil airline just carries HR as freight. Quite undignified really.
I agree in a way but if this is the only way to get the HUM back to the UK or out to where it needs to go then its the only way